NFC Players of the Week

Quarterback DREW BREES of the New Orleans Saints, cornerback CHARLES TILLMAN of the Chicago Bears and rookie punter JOHNNY HEKKER of the St. Louis Rams are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the fifth week of the 2012 season (October 4, 7-8), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: QB DREW BREES, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Brees completed 29 of 45 passes (64.4 percent) for 370 yards with four touchdowns and one interception for a 110.4 passer rating in the Saints’ 31-24 win over San Diego.

With his 40-yard touchdown pass to DEVERY HENDERSON with 2:58 remaining in the first quarter, Brees extended his streak of consecutive games with a TD pass to 48, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHNNY UNITAS (47) for the longest streak in NFL history. Unitas, who surpassed the previous record held by CECIL ISBELL (22) on November 30, 1958, set the mark of 47 consecutive games on December 4, 1960.

During his 48-game streak, Brees has recorded 29 300-yard games (Unitas, six) and passed for at least four touchdowns nine times (Unitas, seven). Brees has thrown a touchdown pass to 15 different receivers during his streak (Unitas, seven), led by MARQUES COLSTON (25), who had three TDs in Week 5.

In his 12th season from Purdue, this is Brees’ 16th career Player of the Week Award. He was honored three times in 2011 (Weeks 7, 12 and 16).

Since joining the Saints in 2006, Brees has won 14 Player of the Week Awards, the most in franchise history.

DEFENSE: CB CHARLES TILLMAN, CHICAGO BEARS

Tillman had a 36-yard interception-return touchdown and four tackles in the Bears’ 41-3 win at Jacksonville.

He was part of a Bears defense that limited Jacksonville to 189 total net yards (129 passing, 60 rushing) and his interception in the third quarter extended Chicago’s lead to 13-3.

Tillman is the franchise leader with seven interception-return touchdowns and has an INT-TD in each of the past two games. Tillman and LANCE BRIGGS are the first set of teammates in NFL history to each return an interception for a touchdown in consecutive games.

The Bears are the first team in NFL history to return five interceptions for touchdowns through the first five games of a season. Chicago and the 1960 Cleveland Browns are the only teams ever to record five INT-TDs over any three-game span.

For the first time in franchise history, the Bears have recorded an INT-TD in three consecutive games.

In his 10th year from Louisiana-Lafayette, this is Tillman’s second career Player of the Week Award and first since 2005 (Week 8).

He is the first Bears cornerback to be named Defensive Player of the Week multiple times.

SPECIAL TEAMS: P JOHNNY HEKKER, ST. LOUIS RAMS

Hekker punted seven times and averaged 56.9 yards per punt in the Rams’ 17-3 win over Arizona.

Hekker’s 56.9 yards per punt average is the highest in a game in franchise history.

He placed three of his punts inside the 20-yard line and had a net average of 46 yards per punt.

Six of Hekker’s seven punts were at least 55 yards, including two punts of 60 yards (68 and 60 yards). His 68-yard punt was the longest by a Ram since DONNIEJONES in 2008 (12/14/08, 68 yards).

·In his rookie season from Oregon State, this is Hekker’s first career Player of the Week Award.

·This is the second consecutive week in which a Ram was named Special Teams Player of the Week (GREGZUERLEIN).

·Hekker and Zuerlein are the first rookie punter-kicker teammates to be named Special Teams Player of the Week in consecutive weeks.

2012 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

Wk 1

QB Robert Griffin III, Washington

DB Ronde Barber, Tampa Bay

K Blair Walsh, Minnesota

Wk 2

WR Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants

DE Calais Campbell, Arizona

P Tim Masthay, Green Bay

Wk 3

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona

DE Chris Clemons, Seattle

K Lawrence Tynes, New York Giants

Wk 4

QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay

LB Patrick Willis, San Francisco

K Greg Zuerlein, St. Louis

Wk 5

QB Drew Brees, New Orleans

CB Charles Tillman, Chicago

P Johnny Hekker, St. Louis

Other nominees for NFC Offensive Player of Week 5 as submitted by NFC clubs:

New York Giants running back AHMAD BRADSHAW, who rushed for a career-high 200 yards and a touchdown in the Giants’ 41-27 win over Cleveland.

San Francisco wide receiver MICHAEL CRABTREE, who had six catches for 113 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers’ 45-3 win over Buffalo.

Atlanta tight end TONY GONZALEZ, who had 13 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons’ 24-17 win at Washington.

Minnesota wide receiver PERCY HARVIN, who had eight catches for 108 yards and scored two touchdowns (one receiving, one rushing) in the Vikings’ 30-7 win over Tennessee.

Chicago wide receiver BRANDON MARSHALL, who had 12 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown.

San Francisco quarterback ALEX SMITH, who completed 18 of 24 passes (75 percent) for 303 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 156.3 passer rating.

Other nominees for NFC Defensive Player of Week 5 as submitted by NFC clubs:

Chicago linebacker LANCE BRIGGS, who had four tackles, a sack and a 36-yard interception-return touchdown.

New York Giants safety STEVIE BROWN, who had three tackles and an interception and added a fumble recovery on a kickoff.

Minnesota linebacker CHAD GREENWAY, who had nine tackles and a pass defensed.

Seattle rookie defensive end BRUCE IRVIN, who had two sacks and a forced fumble in the Seahawks’ 16-12 win at Carolina.

St. Louis defensive end ROBERT QUINN, who had a career-high three sacks, six tackles and a forced fumble.

Atlanta cornerback DUNTA ROBINSON, who had six tackles, an interception, two passes defensed and a half-sack.

San Francisco linebacker PATRICK WILLIS, who had seven tackles and a forced fumble.

Other nominees for NFC Special Teams Player of Week 5 as submitted by NFC clubs:

Seattle kicker STEVEN HAUSCHKA, who scored 10 points and converted all three field-goal attempts and a PAT.

Minnesota rookie kicker BLAIR WALSH, who scored 12 points and converted all three field-goal attempts and three PATs.